Jake Guentzel Appreciation Thread

[Big McLargehuge]

This one hurts. I can claim to be one of Guentzel's earlier fans (I loved the pick at the time) and seeing him come up, wear 'my' number, and help us win a Cup as a rookie was one of the most satisfying fan experiences of my life. Even if the Penguins haven't exactly lived up to expectations/hopes much since that last Cup, Jake has been a consistent high point on this team. He'll be greatly missed.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

 

[Zbynek]

Jake looks like he's about to cry here

 

[Gurglesons]

Jake was a great piece for us.

I will miss him, but I'm somewhat happy to see him go. He was a big part of 2017 and phenomenal in the playoffs, but I feel like the organization almost got too focused on building their attack around him and Rust.

 

[JTG]

Jake is Hossa levels of well-rounded. No real flaws. A very rare low maintenance, high producing forward. Hockey IQ on the level of Sid. Forever a fan of his.

 

[Tender Rip]

Obviously a great guy and a great story.

Will be missed.

Jake is Hossa levels of well-rounded. No real flaws. A very rare low maintenance, high producing forward. Hockey IQ on the level of Sid. Forever a fan of his.

He really isn’t. Very good player, but Hossa was at least a tier above for being elite defensively also.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Jake is Hossa levels of well-rounded. No real flaws. A very rare low maintenance, high producing forward. Hockey IQ on the level of Sid. Forever a fan of his.

He's very versatile and well rounded in the offensive zone, and has elite hockey iq. But he's poor defensively unlike Hossa. That's his weakness.

 

[Zbynek]

Jake is Hossa levels of well-rounded. No real flaws. A very rare low maintenance, high producing forward. Hockey IQ on the level of Sid. Forever a fan of his.

We will immediately feel the loss of all these things as we start to give Bunting 18+ mins every night

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Jake is Hossa levels of well-rounded. No real flaws. A very rare low maintenance, high producing forward. Hockey IQ on the level of Sid. Forever a fan of his.

I mean Jake was pure trash defensively but offensively I would agree, just a slight less skilled than Hossa. But that doesn't diminish who Jake was. To get 8 seasons of him, we're lucky to see a skilled winger like that drafted and developed by the Pens.

We will immediately feel the loss of all these things as we start to give Bunting 18+ mins every night

Bunting will probably produce well for the Pens. Not Jake levels but well.

 

[Zbynek]

Bunting will probably produce well for the Pens. Not Jake levels but well.

I think he will blow up on Dubas like Smith.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I think he will blow up on Dubas like Smith.

You're entitled to believe that. But then again, I feel like at worst you should give it a chance. A month at least.

 

[spcastlemagic]

Having the best hands on a team with Crosby and Malkin is a helluva accomplishment. Great ability to articulate the puck and score, especially in close. He was small but would go where he had to go to score. Four goal game against the Flyers was legendary. Probably the best Pens forward ever, non-all-time legend division.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Having the best hands on a team with Crosby and Malkin is a helluva accomplishment. Great ability to articulate the puck and score, especially in close. He was small but would go where he had to go to score. Four goal game against the Flyers was legendary. Probably the best Pens forward ever, non-all-time legend division.

Agreed, except I'd put Tocchet and Stevens ahead of him in the non-all-time-legend division. Definitely the best in the salary cap era, though.

 

[spcastlemagic]

Agreed, except I'd put Tocchet and Stevens ahead of him in the non-all-time-legend division. Definitely the best in the salary cap era, though.

Ah yeah, hard to disagree on Artie. The way the game has evolved I can’t see a player ever scoring 50 goals and racking up 250 penalty minutes in a season ever again!

 

[HandshakeLine]

Ah yeah, hard to disagree on Artie. The way the game has evolved I can’t see a player ever scoring 50 goals and racking up 250 penalty minutes in a season ever again!

I mean, for a brief shining moment (1990-1993), Artie was shaping up to be one of the best LWs ever. But '93 really derailed him.

 

[orby]

I don't think Guentzel is quite on the level of Hossa, but frankly, he's not too far off. I saw someone in another thread compare him to Ray Whitney, which I think is also a pretty good comparison, but I would argue Guentzel is better than Whitney was.

In terms of his career as a Penguins winger - from the Mario era to present - I would only have him behind Jagr and Stevens. He's a ring of honor type player for sure.

 

[JTG]

I think he will blow up on Dubas like Smith.

...and Karlsson. And Acciari. And Eller.

Dubas has been trash thus far.

 

[JTG]

I mean, for a brief shining moment (1990-1993), Artie was shaping up to be one of the best LWs ever. But '93 really derailed him.

I met him at the Jagr Gala and spoke to him for a bit. I asked him if he would be OK signing my jersey with Jagr about 15 feet away and Artie says, "You want my autograph!?!?!"

1993 I was 6 years old and his face hitting the ice broke my heart. I wore 25 my entire life because of him. I love guys that talk the talk and then walk the walk.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

I cry Errey time.

 

[chethejet]

Jake will find without Sid his play will suffer. He is a liability as to D and it showed the last 2 years. Plus his injury history is not the kind that he will be back to 100%. He is a really good forward as to offense and thinks the game at a high level. His anticipation was key here. But I see a player that just was at the end looking for a payday and having his options to do so. He limited Dubas with not doing a sign and trade. He has every right to do so. But he was never serious about doing a deal here.

 

[Killahpunk]

Jake is lucky to get off this sinking ship. I wish him all the best except when he plays against us.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

I will miss him, but I'm somewhat happy to see him go. He was a big part of 2017 and phenomenal in the playoffs, but I feel like the organization almost got too focused on building their attack around him and Rust.

What is disheartening is that if you had to choose who to trade, I'd rather Rust went vs Jake

 

[SEALBound]

Relax guys, he'll be back in the off-season.

 

[Andy99]

Relax guys, he'll be back in the off-season.

Why would he want to? Sinking ship and all

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Why would he want to? Sinking ship and all

Mike Sullivan fired, Wife from Pittsburgh, phone call from Sid, voila!